Motor supporting means



. Nov. 5, 1935. s. G. LANGLEY Y Q I 1 MOTOR SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Feb. 16, 1952 INVENTOR BY fwavlvw A ORNEY claimed- Patented Nov. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE MOTOR surron'rma MEANS Sam G. Langley, Maplewood, N. 3., assignor to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 16, 1932, Serial No. 593,311

. 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improved supporting means for small motors, and while especially designed for supporting the driving motors of phonographs, it is to be understood that my invention is capable of many other applications.

Phonograph motors, particularly those employed for operating recording and/or transcribing machines, are ordinarily supported from the top-plates carrying the recording and/or reproducing mechanism by cushioning devices, such as spiral springs, disposed between such top-plates and the motor frames. This manner of supporting such motors was found, in the early phonograph art, to be an eiiective solution of the problem of eliminating the objectionable efiects which, due to motor vibration and operation, were produced in the recording and the reproducing of sound records.

The efiectiveness of the construction above described for supporting a motor is still highly regarded, but involves the necessity of loosening and removing several parts when it is desired to remove the motor from the top-plate or other member from which it may be. supported, for

cleaning, overhauling or other purposes.

The principal object of my invention is to pro-= vide an improved construction of the character described, whereby a motor may be readily removed from or applied to the structure, such as the top-plate of a phonograph, by which it is normally designed to be supported, preferably without the necessity of removing any parts from such structure or the motor.-

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a construction ofthis character, readily accessible means adapted by simple manipulation thereof, to disconnect the motor from or.

operatively connect the same to the phonograph top-plate or other structure by which it is designed to be supported.

Other objects andfeatures of my invention will be hereinafter'more specifically described and In order that my invention may be better understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in

which- Eigure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing a preferred'construction in accordance with my inventionfor supporting a motor from the top-plate of a phono-' rap Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detailed part sectional views,

respectively showing three modified forms of my improved supporting means; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed part sectional view of a further modified construction wherein means comprising a single-point suspension is provided 5 for resiliently supporting a motor from the phonograph top-plate or other main support therefor. Referring to Fig. 1, reference character i represents a suitable support for a motor l, which support may also be designed to carry or be inti- 10 mately associated with mechanism likely to be affected by vibrations and noise which result from the operation of the motor. The support i shown is the top-plate of a business phonograph and is designed to carry thereon the usual phonograph mechanism (not shown), comprising the mandrel, feed screw, carriage and, recording and/or reproducing devices. The top-plate i is supported on the upper edge of the usual cabinet 2 for the motive means of the phonograph, and is preferably hinged at t to said cabinet so that it may be swung or tilted upwardly to render readily accessible the motor and other parts which are normally disposed within the cabinet.

The motor t is an electric motor of conventional form and comprises a pulley 5 for driving a belt encircling a larger pulley (not shown, but supported above the top-plate) which transmits power to the phonograph mechanism. A spring-pressed idler pulley t engages the belt ii and acts to maintain the latter properly taut at all times, in spite of vibratory movements of the motor with respect to the support or top-plate l, which may occur.

well known, and comprises, invention. m

In accordance with my invention, the motor 4 is resiliently suspended from the main support or top-plate either at one or at a plurality of it points. As shown in Fig. 1, the motor is so supported from the top-plate I at three points by means comprising three spiral springs ill, and connections between the ends of these springs and the top-plate and motor respectively. The conmotion between each of springs ill and the top plate I, as shown comprises a headed screw it which is threaded into a boss I provided on the under side of the top-plate; the head of said screw being provided with an annular groove i i and theup'per end of the respective spring being reduced and firmly seated in said groove. The connection between each spring l0 and the motor comprises latch means having a stud or plug I 3 provided with a grooved head i2 and an as per se, no part of my The construction above specifically described is 35 annular groove or cam surface I3 in its stem, and also having a suitable member or element adapted to coact with the said groove I3, for detachably connecting the stud to a horizontal plate I5 which is secured, as by bolts I6 and II, to the motor frame 4. The lower end of each spring I is also reduced and firmly seated or engaged with the groove in the head I2 of the respective stud I3. A vertical cylindrical opening I4 is provided in the plate I5 for each stud I3 and into which the stem of the stud normally extends. In this form of my invention, each of the members or elements which are adapted respectively to coact with the studs I3, consists of a spring-pressed ball I8 which is mounted in an opening I9 extending from the edge of the plate I5 to the opening I4 for the respective stud. Each opening I8 is closed at its outer end by a short adjustable screw 20 and has a coiled spring 2| disposed therein between the screw 20 and the ball I8. The degree of compression of spring 2I is, in each,connection, so regulated by adjustment of screw 20, that the corresponding ball I8 'is adapted to engage with the groove I3 of the respective stud I3 under such pressure as to provide a firm connection between the stud and the plate I 5. Each of the openings I9 is preferably slightly reduced in diameter at its inner end to prevent dislodgment of the respective ball I6 therefrom.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that each of the balls I8 is biased to its operative or holding position, and that when all of the balls are in such position they will be engaged with the respective studs I-3 under such pressure as to overcome the effect of the weight of the motor 4 and the parts directly associated therewith. Accordingly the motor will be resiliently suspended or supported from the top-plate I through the springs III. A thumb screw 25 is threaded into each opening I 4'in plate I5 from the lower end of such opening. To removesthe motor 4 for servicing or any other purpose, it is merely necessary to raise the top-plate I about its hinge 3 and turn up on screws 25. These screws then positively effect such relative movement of the studs I3 and balls I8 that the latter will be disengaged from the-grooves I3 and brought to inoperative position, whereupon the motor is released from its connection with the springs I 0 and top-plate I and may beremoved as a unit.

To replace the motor, the screws 25 are merely backed up, and the motor is disposed with the openings I4 in plate I5 respectively engaged by the lower ends of studs I3 and pushed towards the top-plate I to the position shown in Fig. 1.

I The halls I8 thereupon snap into operative locking'engagement with the studs.

The modified form of supporting device shown in Fig. 3, issimilar in construction to each of the supportingdevices shown in Fig. 1, exceptthat the thumb screw 25 is omitted and the ball I 8, spring 2| and screw 20 are replaced by a single screw 25' threaded into one of the openings III in plate I5 and having a rounded inner end adapted, upon turning said screw in one direction or the other, to be directly engaged with or disengaged from the groove I3 in the stud I3.

The modified supporting device shown in Fig. 4, comprises a pin or rod 26 extending through an opening I4 in plate I5 (which opening I4 corresponds to the opening I4 shown in Figs. 1 and 3) and having its upper end extending into the opening in one of the bosses I' of top-plate I, a nut or nuts 26' threaded onto the lower end ing the rod to the top-plate. The latch means re- 5 ferred to comprises a screw 21 which is threaded into an opening I9 in the boss I' and which has a rounded inner end adapted to coact with an annulargroove 26 provided in rod 26 adjacentits upper'end. It is apparent that when 10 'rod 26 is positioned as shown and screw 21 is. turned up, the inner end of the screw will engage groove 28 to thereby detachably lock the supporting device to the bed-plate I. To release the motor supporting devices and thereby the motor, from connection with the bed-plate, it is merely necessary to backup on the screw 21 of each supporting device. Another modified motor supporting construction may comprise a plurality of connecting devices such as are shown in Fig. 5. Each of such connecting deviceshas the same form of spring III as employed in each of the supporting devices shown in Fig. l, and the upper end of this spring is reduced and attached to the top-plate I in the 25 same manner as in the construction shown in Fig. 1. In this case however, the lower reduced end of spring III is firmly engaged with a groove in the head of a stud 32 which normally engages one opening I4 in plate I5, and the said opening has a lateral extension I4". Latch means are provided as follows:The stem of stud 32 has an annular notch or abruptly terminated groove 34 and is adapted to be engaged by an element in the form of a pawl 36 which is disposed in the 35 opening I4 and its extension I 4" and is pivoted to the plate I5 at 3|. The pawl 36 is provided with a cam surface 36' and is biased to its operative locking position by a spring-pressed plunger 33 mounted in a suitable opening provided in 40 plate I5 and communicating with opening I4. In supporting the motor from its support I, the stud 32 of each of the connecting devices may be inserted in its proper, opening I4 in the plate I5 whereupon the lower face of the stud 32 will engage the cam surface 33 and force the pawl 30 away from the stud and against the action of the spring-pressed plunger 33 until the end of the pawl snaps over the end of the stud 32 into the groove 34 so as to bring the cam surface 33' into engagement with the inclined bottom surface of the groove, which engagement is yield-- ingly maintained under the influence of the spring-pressed plunger 33. vA screw 35 threaded into a suitable openingin plate I5 is adapted, upon being turned in-,the proper direction, to positively'move pawl 36 to inoperative position, when it is desired to release the motor from the top-plate for removal.

In the structure shown in Fig. 6, the plate I5 secured to the frame 4' of motor 4, is resiliently connected by a plurality of the springs ID to an auxiliary supportingmember or plate 40. The reduced ,ends of each spring II), in this case, are respectively firmly engaged with grooves provided in the heads of screws H and 42, which are similar to the screws II shown in Fig. 1 and are respectively threaded into theplates 43 and .I5. The plate 40 is provided with a cylindrical projection 43 extending upwardly therefrom and preferably formed integrally therewith and centrally thereof. The projection 43 normally'engages fairly closely within a cylindrical'recess 44 which extends upwardly from the lower face of a boss 45 provided on the top-plate or other aoaaue main support -i for the motor. Spring actuated latch :means releasably secure the plate M and motor 4 to the top-plate i" at a single suspen sion point on the latter. The latch means in this case are identical with those shown in Fig. land comprise a ball l8 disposed in an opening l9. extending through the boss 45 to the recess M, a screw 20' being threaded into the outer end of said opening and a coiled spring 2! being disposed in the opening between screw 20' and ball H3. The inner end of opening i8 is slightly reduced to prevent dislodgment of ball 18 therefrom. The projection 43 is provided with an annular groove or cam surface 46 adapted to be engaged by the ball i8. A screw 47 is threaded through the end wallof recess M for coaction with projection 53. To render the latch means ineffective and to free plate 4i and the motor resiliently suspended from the latter, from con-' nection with top-plate i", it is merely necessary to turn up on screw 41; and to re-establish such connection it is merely necessary to back up on screw 41 and push projection 43 into'the recess 66. A spline connection 48 prevents the turning of projection 43 in the recess 44 and ensures the application of the motor to and the retention thereof in proper angular position relative to the top-plate.

It'is to be understood that my invention is susceptible of embodiment in many forms other than those shown and specifically described herein without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim: v I

1. In a phonograph, in combination, a support, a motor, and means for resiliently supporting said motor from said support, said means including a latching device for quickly attachingand' detaching said motor in respect to said support, and said latching device comprising an element provided with a concave surface, a member adapted to engage said surface to hold said element in substantially fixed position, and means 5 engaging said element, and adapted to force the latter at will from fixed position in respect to said member.

2. In a phonograph, in combination, a support,

a motor, and means for resiliently and detachably connecting said motor to said support, said means comprising an element having a cam surface, a member adapted to engage said cam surface to maintain said element in substantially fixed position, and means engaging said element and adapted to force the latter from such fixed position.

3. In a phonograph, in combination, a motor support, a motor, and means for detachably suspending said motor from said support, said means comprising an element provided with a cam surface, a member adapted to yieldingly engage said surface to maintain said element in substantially fixed position, and means operable at will for forcing the cam surface of said element against said member to disconnect said member and element.

4. In a phonograph, in combination, a support, a motor, and meansrfor supporting said motor from said support comprising a device connectan ing the motor and support, said device being ad- I justable to and from operative condition and comprising a spring-biased member, an element adapted to be yieldingly engaged by said member to maintain the device in operative condition, and means adjustable at will to engage and thereby force saidwelementirom such yielding engagement. A

SAM G. LANGLEY. 

